


Home for the Holidays

by tlcinbflo



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, Moving In Together, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 20:37:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13220766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tlcinbflo/pseuds/tlcinbflo
Summary: Reyes wants Sara to feel at home, especially this time of year, so he calls in some favors and makes miracles happen.





	Home for the Holidays

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vorcha_Girl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vorcha_Girl/gifts).



Reyes Vidal was a light sleeper. He tended to wake at the slightest sound in the vicinity, or shift in sunlight, or movement from a partner in his bed. So, when he reached out to find Sara next to him and found only cold sheets, he was instantly alert. He sat up, the sheet pooling at his waist and scrubbed his hands over his face.

He smelled coffee – the angaran equivalent of coffee – in the air; a fragrance as warm and comforting as he remembered coffee to be back in the milky way. He stretched, his back arching and joints popping before sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He pulled on loose pants, and scrubbed his hands over his face before pushing his hair back off his forehead. He was slightly concerned that Sara had woken up so early, and had managed to sneak out of bed without his waking.

He padded softly through the apartment, stretching his neck from side to side. It didn’t take long to find her – the apartment was small – but his heart clenched when he did. She’d pulled a chair up to the large window overlooking Kadara. She’d folded herself onto the chair, knees at her chin, and was holding a mug of coffee at her lips while watching a video on her omni’tool. It was a simple enough image, her in the chair; his reaction was caused by the tears he saw glistening on her cheeks.

He announced his presence, his voice a soft whisper, and watched her lips pull in a smile at the sound of her name. “Good morning, Reyes,” she replied without looking at him, her eyes glued to the screen in front of her. He perched himself on the arm of the chair, and leaned over her, his arm stretching along the back. “Every year, before Mom got sick, if I couldn’t be home for Christmas because of a dig or assignment, she would send me a video. She’d try to get to Earth, for the snow, but if she couldn’t she’d take video of the artificial snow at the human embassy on the Citadel and send it with a message.”

Reyes glanced down at the screen and found the smiling face of a woman who looked a lot like Sara, eyes sparkling and grinning as the snow fell around her. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the crown of Sara’s head. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t snow on Kadara,” he answered, quietly, wanting nothing more than to make her feel better but knowing, all too well, grief was something not even a 600-year nap would cure.

“I know,” she powered down her ‘tool and wiped her eyes before turning her face up to him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Did you want some breakfast?” she asked, pushing herself out of the chair and he turned to watch her make her way to the kitchen. His shirt falling just long enough to hide the curve of her rear.

He considered her long after she’d left his line of sight; his gaze lingering on the edge of the counter she’d turned around to enter the kitchenette. He hated seeing her down, and knowing there was no way he could make it better. He couldn’t bring her mother back from the dead; he couldn’t take her to Earth or the Citadel…. But, maybe he could….

His gaze darted down to his ‘tool as a smile tugged at his lips.

It took a few days, and a call to the Pathfinder, to gather everything he would need to make it work. Scott had grinned over the vidcom when Reyes filled him in, and willingly gave up all of Sara’s favorites. Scott’s only wish was that he could spare the time to spend the holiday with them, but Meridian was taking up too much of their attention. Work keeping them apart was a reality they had lived with in the Milky Way, and it had followed them to Andromeda.

Reyes had to orchestrate an emergency at Ditaeon to get Sara out of the apartment for the day so he could put his plan into action. He only hoped she’d react they way he expected her to.

Sara Ryder scrubbed her hands over her face as she approached the door to Reyes’ apartment. It had been a long day of back and forth at the outpost, and she wanted nothing more than to strip down, take a long, hot shower, and spend the night wrapped in Reyes’ arms. She craved his touch on a good day, but on a day with mindless parroting of information between the Nexus and the outpost, she needed the relaxation only a night of lovemaking would bring her.

She entered the code for the outer door and tried the handle of the traditional door of the apartment. It was locked. _Fuck._ One more barrier between her and getting naked with Reyes, and it was enough to set her off. She kicked the door hard, before raising her fist and pounding. He knew she was on her way, usually he unlocked the door for her. She wondered what he’d been up to that he’d been too distracted to get the door. She knew most of what he did – he’d stopped keeping her in the dark once she’d learned his true identity – but something had kept him preoccupied over the last couple of days and she still didn’t know what it was.

She could hear him approaching, so she stopped slamming her fist into the door. She crossed her arms over her chest, and cocked a hip, but her scowl slid off her face when he opened the door. Tears filled her eyes, and she laughed. Loud and from her center at the sight of Reyes Vidal in a Santa hat and coat. He was grinning at her, his head titled and looking at her through his long lashes. “Ho, ho, ho,” he greeted, leaning forward and kissing her cheek.

She leaned into his kiss, her hand coming to rest on his arm, loving the feel of the soft Santa suit beneath it. Her eyes widened even further as she passed him and crossed the threshold. Her hands moved to cover her mouth. Colored lights were tracing every window and every doorway. Candles were lit on every flat surface. White lights hung in short strands from the ceiling. Soft, classical, holiday music poured from the sound system – _I’ll Be Home for Christmas_. She held her hand out to him, and he grinned as he reached her. Their arms immediately wrapped around each other.

“Reyes, this is beautiful!” she whispered into his neck. She pulled back and pressed her forehead to his, inhaling deeply. “Wait…” she opened her eyes, and found him watching her. “Are those… do I smell cookies?” she gasped, turning to the kitchen, and his face hurt from smiling at her.

“Yes, gingerbread cookies and chocolate chip cookies. In all fairness, I don’t know how they’ll taste. I had to do a lot of substituting but they smell-”

“Perfect,” she answered, finally pressing her lips to his. He cupped the back of her head, holding her close as she opened her mouth to him, his tongue meeting hers and stealing her breath. She held him closer, kissing him harder.

She slid her hands beneath the coat and up his back with eager fingers and he pulled away, “Wait, wait….” He put his hands on her hips and moved her a step away from him, and she whimpered. He grinned, “Close your eyes,” he asked, reaching out and pushing her short hair back behind her ear, his fingers teasing her jawline as he brought his hand down. She sighed, but obeyed.

Nothing happened. At least, not immediately. Then, she felt it. Cold, wet, and melting almost instantly against the flush skin of her face. Her eyes flew open and her jaw dropped.

It was snowing. Inside the apartment. Tears flew freely now, her hands covering her mouth momentarily before throwing her arms out to the side and turning her face up to catch more of the flakes. After a moment, she felt his hand on her waist again and she opened her eyes to meet his gaze. “How?”

“I called in some favors, worked with some engineers,” he nodded over his shoulder and she spotted the rigging and machinery he’d had crafted to – she assumed – shave ice and blow it around the room. She didn’t care _how,_ all that mattered was that he had made it snow - for her. She just kissed him, slow and thorough. He broke the kiss before it could escalate. “One more thing, I have a gift for you.” His voice was husky with rising desire, and she could his body responding to her. He produced a small box from the pocket of his Santa coat.

She raised her eyebrow at him as she took it from him. It wasn’t the right shape for jewelry, and her curiosity was piqued. She opened the box and nestled inside was a simple, gold key. She looked up at him. “Is this…?”

“It’s one of two keys that will open that door,” he answered, nodding his head towards the door behind him. “You’ve been practically living here for months now, there’s no need for you to have to call when you’re on your way or knock if I don’t—” she interrupted him with a kiss, and he smiled into it.

They kissed slow and easy in the soft lighting as the holiday music continued, and the snow fell around them. Sara hadn’t felt this at peace since before her mom got sick. It had been a long time since she could smile, and really mean it. It had been a long time since she had felt like she was home, but she did feel that when she was here. Not here the apartment; here, in Reyes’ arms – that was home.


End file.
